A Life Lesson From Tom Watson
I really can’t let this week slip by without writing about Tom Watson’s performance at the British Open this past weekend. I still have a bit of a queasy feeling in my stomach over his second place finish, and I keep going back to the 18th hole; “If only his 7 iron would have stopped on the green….he would have won the tournament!!” At 59 years of age, he certainly defied the odds, and if he had won he would have been the oldest major champion ever.....by a stunning 13 years. An incredible feat from an incredible man that has surely recharged many of us “middle-aged” golfers. Especially those of us who have been watching Tom Watson play golf for so many years. I had such a horrible feeling when he didn't win, but I soon realized that golf is just a game. Watson’s own comment after the round helped me come to grips with this when he said, “this is not a funeral folks”. He’s right…and as I pondered this remarkable weekend experience, I couldn’t stop thinking about the connection between this event and the book that I have just finished writing.
If anyone has read my short bio on the side of my blog, you would have noticed that I was in the process of writing my 1st book, and my goal was to finish it by this summer. Well, I am proud to say that I have accomplished my task. No surprise, my book is entitled, My Back 9. It’s basically about the second half of one’s life, and is designed like the back 9 of a golf course. Throughout my book, I use the analogies between life and golf as the backdrop for the endeavor, and the highs and lows of Watson’s performance on Sunday solidified my belief that this great game has the ability to give us so many lessons that we can utilize in our own lives.
The 2009 British Open was played at the famed Turnbury in Scotland this past weekend. This venue has some very rich history, and many great golf tournaments have been played on these hallowed grounds. There is a fantastic and historic lighthouse that stands tall at the turn (between 9 and 10) at Turnbury. This lighthouse was actually built by the father of the great Scottish writer, Robert Louis Stevenson. As I perused through some archives, I found the perfect quote from this great writer that symbolizes Tom Watson and what he accomplished this weekend:
“If a man loves the labour of his trade, apart from any question of success or fame, the gods have called him”
Yes, I know he didn’t actually win, but life isn’t always about winning. It’s about trying, it's about the effort to win. The journey.....not the destination. I was reminded of the incredible synergies between golf and life again this weekend, as I witnessed this spectacular event. I had all 4 of my boys in the room watching with me, and I explained to them that they were witnessing history. Of course, when he didn’t win, they were also very disappointed. However, a life lesson was soon to follow. You see, just because we try hard and give a strong effort, that doesn’t mean everything is going to turn out in our favor. Quite often, things don’t turn out well at all, even when our plight is accompanied by tremendous effort. It’s all part of this thing we call life, and contrary to what many say; I don’t think life is like a roller coaster. I think life is more like a railroad track. Rick Warren, the author of A Purpose Driven Life, said it best:
“I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore. Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life. No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on. And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for”
I realize that this was only a golf game and the fact that Tom Watson came in second place was not the end of the world. However, if you are like me, the feeling you had when the tournament slipped away from Watson was very powerful and sad. Although the feeling was brief, you can liken it to feelings of disappointment you have in your own life. The main point here is that moments like this give us an opportunity to take a deep dive into our own lives. How do we handle our ups and downs? Do we realize, like Mr. Warren’s states above, that life will continue to throw us curveballs? Do we realize that we are not always going to win? How will we react when things do not go our way? Well, Tom Watson gives us another great example in defeat. He was gracious, genuinely happy for the victor (Stewart Cink), humbled by the experience, and grateful for having played a part in this great golf tournament at the ripe age of 59. WOW!!
Golf has a very magnetic and spiritual quality to it, and the older I get; the more I appreciate the energy surge that I get from this great game. I would like to thank Mr. Watson for giving my 4 boys and I a great experience and life lesson this weekend. A lesson in humility, perseverance, courage, and grace. A lesson that I will not soon forget.
If anyone has read my short bio on the side of my blog, you would have noticed that I was in the process of writing my 1st book, and my goal was to finish it by this summer. Well, I am proud to say that I have accomplished my task. No surprise, my book is entitled, My Back 9. It’s basically about the second half of one’s life, and is designed like the back 9 of a golf course. Throughout my book, I use the analogies between life and golf as the backdrop for the endeavor, and the highs and lows of Watson’s performance on Sunday solidified my belief that this great game has the ability to give us so many lessons that we can utilize in our own lives.
The 2009 British Open was played at the famed Turnbury in Scotland this past weekend. This venue has some very rich history, and many great golf tournaments have been played on these hallowed grounds. There is a fantastic and historic lighthouse that stands tall at the turn (between 9 and 10) at Turnbury. This lighthouse was actually built by the father of the great Scottish writer, Robert Louis Stevenson. As I perused through some archives, I found the perfect quote from this great writer that symbolizes Tom Watson and what he accomplished this weekend:
“If a man loves the labour of his trade, apart from any question of success or fame, the gods have called him”
Yes, I know he didn’t actually win, but life isn’t always about winning. It’s about trying, it's about the effort to win. The journey.....not the destination. I was reminded of the incredible synergies between golf and life again this weekend, as I witnessed this spectacular event. I had all 4 of my boys in the room watching with me, and I explained to them that they were witnessing history. Of course, when he didn’t win, they were also very disappointed. However, a life lesson was soon to follow. You see, just because we try hard and give a strong effort, that doesn’t mean everything is going to turn out in our favor. Quite often, things don’t turn out well at all, even when our plight is accompanied by tremendous effort. It’s all part of this thing we call life, and contrary to what many say; I don’t think life is like a roller coaster. I think life is more like a railroad track. Rick Warren, the author of A Purpose Driven Life, said it best:
“I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore. Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life. No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on. And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for”
I realize that this was only a golf game and the fact that Tom Watson came in second place was not the end of the world. However, if you are like me, the feeling you had when the tournament slipped away from Watson was very powerful and sad. Although the feeling was brief, you can liken it to feelings of disappointment you have in your own life. The main point here is that moments like this give us an opportunity to take a deep dive into our own lives. How do we handle our ups and downs? Do we realize, like Mr. Warren’s states above, that life will continue to throw us curveballs? Do we realize that we are not always going to win? How will we react when things do not go our way? Well, Tom Watson gives us another great example in defeat. He was gracious, genuinely happy for the victor (Stewart Cink), humbled by the experience, and grateful for having played a part in this great golf tournament at the ripe age of 59. WOW!!
Golf has a very magnetic and spiritual quality to it, and the older I get; the more I appreciate the energy surge that I get from this great game. I would like to thank Mr. Watson for giving my 4 boys and I a great experience and life lesson this weekend. A lesson in humility, perseverance, courage, and grace. A lesson that I will not soon forget.
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ReplyDeleteHi! I've been an avid follower of your site. You really are a good writer and your writing is exemplary. have you actually considered writing professionally?
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